Learning Two Languages Slows Down Dementia
By: Martin Mak
Introductory comments by Royane Real
Author of “How You Can Be Smarter - Use Your Brain to Learn Faster, Remember Better and Be More Creative”
The following article by author Martin Mak discusses a fascinating finding by Canadian researchers studying the brain health of a group of aging people. This study discovered that people who had learned to speak more than one language and who continually used at least two languages on a daily basis were able to keep their mental faculties sharp longer than people who had only learned to use one language.
This discovery is quite similar to another finding by Dr. David Snowdon at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Snowdon conducted a decades long study of a group of nuns aged 75 to 106 years of age. He discovered that those nuns who made the effort to keep learning new things throughout their lives were able to reach very advanced years with their thinking ability still intact.
Dr. Snowdon received permission from these nuns to study their brains after they died, because they wanted to make a contribution to scientific knowledge and help other people. He discovered that many of the nuns who were able to function very well mentally in their later years actually had brains that were showing the plaques and tangles typical of Alzheimer’s disease.
These nuns should have been showing the signs of having Alzheimer’s disease during their later years, yet they seemed to be very healthy! In spite of the fact that their brains were being attacked by Alzheimer’s, the nuns were still able to function normally.
Dr. Snowdon speculated that the reason for these nun’s good mental performance was because of their lifelong commitment to learning. By keeping their brains very active with learning, their brains were able to create a lot of extra brain cell connections that could compensate for the brain cells that were sick and dying.
What do these studies mean for you? There is increasing evidence that lifelong learning is a very good way of ensuring you can reach old age with your mind functioning well.
If you haven’t learned a second language yet, why not start now? Even though it’s true that young people can learn second languages very easily, make the decision to learn a second language now just so that your brain can have a good workout.
As the author of the following article points out, learning a second language can give you lots of benefits besides helping your brain cells make more connections. You can use your second language to help you order food in a restaurant or to make your trip to a foreign country more interesting.
If you already know a second language, why not look for every chance to use it?
( The above introductory comments were written by Royane Real. If you want to learn more ways to get more productivity out of your brain, get my book: “How You Can Be Smarter - Use Your Brain to Learn Faster, Remember Better and Be More Creative” It’s available at http://www.lulu.com/real )
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Feature article
Learning Two Languages Slows Down Dementia
By: Martin Mak
Study Shows Bilingualism Slows Dementia Onset
Researchers find that probable Alzheimer's patients who speak two languages get dementia four years later than their peers
Speaking two languages delays the onset of memory lapses, neural dysfunction in the brain, in particular dementia, a study found.
Researchers in Canada , where the official languages are English and French, examined 132 patients with a diagnosis of probable Alzheimer's disease.
It appears that having learnt and speaking two languages or more may delay the onset of neural deterioration as compared to those who did not, the researchers wrote in a study published in the February issue of the journal Neuropsychologia.
The patients spoke 25 different languages, including Polish, Yiddish, German, Romanian and Hungarian.
Previous studies have shown that lifestyle factors such as physical activity, social involvement and education may improve overall brain health.
Bilingualism may help the brain build what is called a cognitive reserve, which may provide protection against the onset of dementia, the Canadian researchers said.
"There are no pharmacological interventions that are this dramatic," said Dr Morris Freedman, director of the Memory Clinic at Baycrest Research Centre for Aging and the Brain in Toronto , in a statement today.
The difference in dementia onset remained even after the researchers factored in the possible influence of culture, immigration, formal education, employment and gender on the results, the study said.
"The data show a huge protective effect," said co-investigator Fergus Craik in the statement. The research so far is consistent with that of other countries where speaking two or more languages in the population shows less people in the population have problems with dementia.
“Asian countries like Singapore where the Chinese citizens are not only fluent in English and Mandarin, they are also adept at the other dialects of the Chinese languages (of which there are four main Chinese dialects), in addition to the Malay and Indian languages. Most if not all on this tiny island can speak at least two languages. It is therefore not surprising that such countries have comparatively lower rates of dementia per capita population.
No doubt learning two languages is also consistent with other research findings where learning new mental skills can have a beneficial effect. Mental hobbies like doing crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, or even a game of poker or Mahjong have been shown to reduce dementia in the population.
Social work studies have also shown that older citizens who participate actively in the community not only stay young physically, they are more alert and stay sharp mentally.
Senior citizens can participate in programs that impart skills to the younger generation.
For instance, if you are a good swimmer, have baking or cooking skills, you canpa rticipate in your community to teach young adults or young children to swim, bake a cake or cookies or cook a meal. You can also check out the local library if there is a position open for story telling to young kids. If there isn't, why not start a program where you can participate in a story-telling sessions certain days of the week?
The finding, while in line with earlier research on lifestyle and dementia onset, is preliminary and needs to be studied further, he added.
The researchers are working on a follow-up study to further examine the protective effects of bilingualism on the brain.
While the research findings are encouraging, many people, especially in the North American continent, Australia and New Zealand do not speak any other languages other than English. This despite recent techniques that have been uncovered that make it easy to learn two or more languages.
With globalization comes the importance of learning other languages in emerging economies like Chinese and Russian. If you have an Italian or Spanish neighbor, friend or colleague, why not learn a few words or phrases from him or her today and everyday? Apart from forming closer ties and friendships, it will also come in useful if you decide to visit their country of origin one day. Either way, it will be a rewarding experience for everyone.
Learning two languages will no doubt help anyone appreciate the other cultures, besides the medical benefit of staving off dementia and AD.
Article source: http://www.articledashboard.com
Author is a memory and brain-training expert. For more information on how you can utilize the full potential of your brain and enhance your life, you can visit the following website www.MightyMemory.com
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